When one can't speak
by myridinn
Summary: When Tony finds Loki with his mouth sewn shut, he just can't take him to shield. Loki really reached bottom but Tony's having none of it. Trying to find out how to get trough these physical and metaphorical wires, they slowly start to grow on eachother. How will Loki find redemption? Will Stark be able to save him in more than one way? find out inside *badum tss* Longshot
1. Chapter 1

characters are from Marvel.

sadly I do not own them.

**-When one can't speak-**

_What is it?_

_It is madness says reason_

_It is what it is says love_

_It is unhappiness says caution_

_It is nothing but pain says fear_

_It has no future says insight_

_It is what it is says love_

_It is ridiculous says pride_

_It is foolish says caution_

_It is impossible says experience_

_It is what it is says Love_

_Erich Fried_

Frostiron, no idea where this is going yet, first story, non-native user of the English language. I have no beta. This is typed on my phone so the format might be a bit odd... If you read all this and are still willing to give it a try...Thank you so much.

**prologue**

somewhere in new York

~~~~  
The god of mischief collided with the ground, his face hitting the stones with a sickening crash. Old dry blood mixed with new blood and he tried to groan. his lips didn't part and another flash of insane pain shot through his mouth. he didn't saw anything as his eyes shot open and the memories returned.

_All those days in the cold dark cell-knowing nothing-waiting- his trial- all the angry and scared looks from the Asgardians- his mother crying-his fa-Odin speaking out-his sentence-Thor grabbing him and pushing him down- his useless struggles- the dwarves coming in- the cold needle in front of his face- on his lips-his last screams- the needle moving- unbearable slowly- inch after inch trough his flesh-In-out-paaaain-In-his vision blurring-darkness rising-pain-Out-In-Out- the unconsciousness didn't came-make this end, please!-pain-In-pain-pain-pain-please!-Out-and then he finally passed out._

When he woke up later the sun was setting and he was ice-cold. A cough died in Loki's troath, not being able to get out. His limbs were sore and his whole body was in pain but he managed to raise an arm. Touching the cold metal that sealed his lips, a single tear left his eye and he passed out again.

**chapter one**

Stark Tower

"You have an incoming call from S.H.I.E.L.D. Sir" The electronic voice of his AI Jarvis mentioned.  
Tony sighed and took another sip from his scotch. "I am not at home."

"They say it's an emergency sir."

"They always do Jarvis. Urgh, just put them on the line then." barely a second passed before he heard an indifferent voice addressing him.

"Mr. Stark, we require your assistance. We got a message from a man who claims to have found Loki. Apparently he'd be in a bad state. It is probably false alarm since he should be facing punishment on Asgard but we need someone who'd be able to handle the situation if it were true."

The millionaire sighed again and raised from his chair. "I'm on my way. Jarvis, prepare the suit."

While walking out he got into the suit and flew of, following the coordinates Jarvis had received from the S.H.I.E.L.D agent. New York faded under him as he gained speed and approached an old industry-terrain. At the entrance there was a little group of people looking very scared. When he reached the ground an old man motioned him to follow and they went into a ruin of a huge barn. the roof was gone and the ground was filled with piles of stones and other they reached the middle of the ruins Tony noticed a body. The limbs were tangled in strange angles and there was blood all around. Only his shirtless back was visible and he had indeed the same hairstyle as Loki, but to be able to say it was Loki?

The man on the ground seemed rather dead, and only his very ragged and heavy breathing gave away he wasn't, so Tony approached him slowly. The back looked already horrific and bloody and he didn't wanted to see the rest but sadly this had to be done and it was his job so he grabbed the man's shoulder.

Lucky that he was still in his suit. He barely managed not to threw up at the sight of the man. Not an inch of his body was not bruised or under fresh or old blood. From an open wound in his arm he saw the white of bone and his face wasn't worthy of being called a face anymore. But the worst was his mouth.

It was full of old and new blood, bile and it was sewn shut in a horrible way with a rusty thread. The little wounds looked red and infected. The billionaire's mind was racing. He pushed the disgust and horror aside and thought about what had to be done.

"It is the madman that tried to destroy the city isn't it? My daughter was there that day and she recognized him." The old man whispered.

A minute of silence passed and Tony was glad he had his mask on. Finally he ended the inner fight he was holding with himself. "No." He finally muttered.

"No, it isn't Loki. He looks like him indeed, but you guys must've been fooled by the wounds."

The old man looked doubtful but said nothing. "I'll take him to a hospital. We'll be able to identify him later. But don't worry, it isn't him."

With each word the lies came easier and he got more convinced this was the right thing to do. The man on the floor was indeed the Asgardian god Loki but he couldn't just take him to S.H.I.E.L. would let him recover just enough to get awake and then continue this torture. When Tony had hacked their system he hadn't only found weapon-manufacturing plans. They way S.H.I.E.L.D. Treated their prisoners really didn't appeal to Tony. Especially not the ones who had information to give.

S.H.I.E.L.D. probably wouldn't do less than the state the god was in now. So the superhero scooped him up and flew away trough the ceiling. He made connection with S.H.I.E.L.D. and reported.

"False alarm dudes. Probably some lunatic with long black hair who drank himself into coma and made a bad fall in there. They're taking him to a hospital so I assume this is over then?"

"We'll classify this as false alarm. You can go home." The S.H.I.E.L.D agent on the line answered before breaking the connection.

"No problem at al, it was my pleasure" Tony sarcastically said to the empty air around him.

He tried not to look at the mess in his arms and only speeded up. "Jarvis, call my doctor. And make him sign a contract about not telling anyone or anything about this, just to make sure."

"I must probably warn you sir, that this might not be your best idea ever." His AI answered.

The man in the suit chuckled and nodded. " That might be totally true. But it doesn't change the plan. Make sure that S.H.I.E.L.D. or anyone else doesn't find out though."

Jarvis confirmed that he would make sure it wouldn't leak. Tony landed on his balcony and entered his tower. He carefully dropped the god on his cough and wiped some hair out of his face. Hissing at the disaster loki's face was he wondered what happened. Who could've been so cruel to sew one lips shut? He filled a glass of scotch for himself and thought to himself that he just couldn't understand this. Asking Thor about what happened wouldn't be possible since the god hadn't returned yet. Tony raised an eyebrow as he looked at the security footage visible on his tablet and saw the elevator arriving on this floor.

The doctor, a gray haired elderly man named James, got out together with his secretary and ex-girlfriend Pepper.

"Jarvis, I thought I said no one?"

"I am sorry sir, but she catched Mr James in the elevator and her suspicion is already raised. She doesn't know about your other visitor yet though."

Sighing the billionaire murmured "It's too late now anyway." and a second later his two visitors came in. Pepper didn't waist a second with looking around and attacked immediately.

"Anthony Stark what is this about? Why do you need a doctor and why do I not kno- " Then she finally saw the body on the cough and her eyes grew as big as tea saucers.

"Oh god Tony what have you done?" She yelled at him.

Tony shot the doctor a look and asked him to help the guy on the cough. He grabbed Peppers hand and pulled her on the balcony, where the doctor wouldn't be able to hear them. Whilst explaining why he took in the god and what S.H.I.E.L.D would do if they catched him his CEO sighed deeply.

"Tony..." she started but he quickly interrupted her. "I'm sorry Peps but I can't send him over to S.H.I.E.L.D. As much as I hate him for what he has done I can't let them torture him to death. I can't handle them alone but I can stop them from doing this to another person. And I don't know who did this to him but if it were the Aesir, I'm not sending him back there either."

"I was going to say that it was your own fucking choice but that you wouldn't be able to contain him once he can stand Tony." She answered looking her irritated-by-irresponsible-Tony-Stark-self.

"I have this cell for the Hulk if he ever needed it down in my lab. I had some readings from last time he did his little magic show over here so I think I managed to make it magic-pro-"

"you think? Oh Antonhy Stark, really..." Pepper started but seeing the look on his face she nodded.

"I am in San Francisco for a week running your business but if there's any sign of danger, Jarvis, you get all the avengers over here instantly and you warn me too!"

"yes miss Potts" the AI answered since he was also programmed to follow her orders. Walking out Pepper threw one more disgusted look at the god and disappeared towards the elevator. Tony got into the room again and closed the door to the balcony.

"that went easily..." He sighed turning towards the god. In contrary to Pepper he couldn't look at the god with disgust. Disgust for the ones who had done this, yes. but seeing him like this only made Tony feel pity and sadness. Of course he was angry about the trickster trying to kill Coulson and destroying half New York but no one, not even a crazy psychopath, deserved this. His doctor came in drying his hands with a towel.

"Well I've seen bad wounds, especially from you Mr. Stark, but this beats them all by far. Very far." The doctor murmured shaking his head. " The people who did that to him...the thread is rusty and the wounds are all infected. I am going to disinfect the cuts and other wounds on his body first but I don't know how far this mess goes inside."

"Jarvis, possible scans. Will you be able to get that out? " Tony said pointing at the metal thread.

"depends on what material it is. If I have something that can cut through it, I can get it out."James answered, starting his job. " I hope he doesn't wake up though. It will be a hell of a painful time. "

"I hope it too." the avenger answered, staring outside.

A.N.

actually I am not a writer. My English is bad, I rather read, I am the queen of writers block. But there was so little frostiron around lately , that I just needed to supply my own needs. Which means I will only continue to post this story if anyone is interested. If you are still reading by now, I don't care if you liked it or not, thank you so much already.

xxxx

Myr


	2. Chapter 2: waking up

**chapter two**

Still at Stark Tower

Tony stark sat on the end of Loki's bed. The god was still unconscious but all his cuts and bruises were taken care of. His other injuries and broken bones ( a shoulder, upper arm, 4 ribs, a leg and almost all the bones in his right hand ) were treated as best as possible and he was thoroughly cleaned and wearing a green pyjama picked out by Tony.

The only thing that wasn't taken care of were the stitches. They tried. Tony and James even dragged him down to the lab and tried to cut it with every imaginable thing down there but it had been of no use. The thread had been unbreakable. So they had done everything they could do and then put the trickster in the cell. James had gone home and would return the next day to check up on the patient.

Loki's cell had a simple bed, one chair, a toilet and a sink. There was a bedside table with some clothes and books on it and cameras and microphones hung around visible and invisible. there were even heat sensors. 3 of the walls were plain white but the one with the door was entirely made out of glass. Or something way stronger that could pass for it. It was 10 in the evening, the god still hadn't waked up and Tony was just thinking about grabbing some food and scotch upstairs when he finally showed some signs of life.

The first thing he was conscious about was pain. It was all over his body, especially around his mouth. It made it difficult to feel and think about anything else but after a while he noticed that, even though the pain was intense, it wasn't as bad as earlier. Then slowly the realisation came that his bones were back in the right places and half his body was wrapped in soft bandages. He was lying in a bed. Loki tried to shift but when that turned out to be too painful a soft moan tried to escape his troath but it never managed to leave and the god was confronted with the painful truth again. Trying to distract himself from it he slowly opened his damaged eyelids.

At first the light blinded him but then Loki managed to distinguish a person sitting at his feet. The person shifted and he heard a familiar voice.

"You're awake, sleeping beauty?" Tony stark asked with one of his typical grins.

The god tried to groan. Out of all people. Anthony Stark. Stark! Was there really no mercy for him? Somewhere in the back of his mind though, a little voice told him it could've been way worse. Ignoring it the he turned his head away but he got startled when something suddenly landed in his lap. He looked up to see a notebook and some markers on his legs and his questioning eyes rised to Tony Stark's face.

"I have some questions. I figured you wouldn't be very...talkative" The human shrugged, trying to hide a little smile because of his own pun. Sighing Loki rolled his eyes and grabbed the things in his lap, twitching from pain at the movement.

Tony looked rather relieved when he looked like collaborating and the god couldn't help but wonder why the humans had chosen Stark to interrogate him. Or why they had treated his injuries. Why there seemed to be nobody else around. where they trying to give him a feeling of safeness? Choosing Stark as his guardian was not a very obvious choice then.

The human interrupted his thoughts by shifting and speaking. "So you're in my tower right now. S.H.I.E.L.D doesn't know anything about you being here but one funny movement and Jarvis, my all-seeing eye, will get the other avengers here in a second. You're in a cell that's supposed to be able to hold the hulk, remember him? and that is supposed to be magic-free but you are the first test on that so I'd like us to get along well enough to not have to test that. Now I would get you something to eat bu-"

The mortal continued to rattle but Loki looked down on the paper and wrote a word on it. Holding it up Tony could read an elegantly written "_Why?"_

The millionaire sighed. "Why not? after you were gone I checked some things about S.H.I.E.L.D. and they way they treat their prisoners, especially those with information, I don't approve of it. I've been a prisoner. Tortured too. And as much as you have wronged this world, I wouldn't wish that to anyone. Especially not after that. Is that the 'Asgardian punishment' you were going to face? " The human motioned at the taller man's mouth and the god felt a flash of humiliation going trough him for a second. He quickly hid it and nodded with his gaze focused on the sheets again.

"_You don't have to be afraid of me Stark. I can't recite any spells in this state and I am not sure I would want to do anything anyway beside laying here until Ragnarök comes. I will never achieve anything in this miserable life I am given, no matter if it were good or bad things."_

After some minutes of silence he heard the man across from him sigh and shift.

"I'm sorry for you." Loki looked up quickly in surprise and catched the gaze of the human. It was full of sincerity and his hand was tapping on an undamaged place of his lower leg. Frowning the god looked at the hand and back at the mortals face. When the silence began to feel a bit awkward Tony looked away and slowly removed his hand.

"You know the reason I can't get trough those things?" He started looking at the iron sewn trough the gods lips but Loki was already writing something on a paper. Shoving it towards the human he looked away with a frown. Why was Stark doing this? He knew there had to be some hidden reason for Stark to help him but he could only feel relieved, thankful and safe. When did he became so pathetic and weak?

He looked up at Tony who smiled slightly at the tiny "_I find it hard to believe you're doing all this for one who wronged you so much _" that was written on the paper, and then looked up too. "

No thank you? Guess that would be too much too ask for then. Super villain suspicion, tssk. I'm supposed to help everyone in need since I am a good guy now, no?"

Loki yanked the paper back and added a _"now?"_

Tony chuckled "Heh shit, shouldn't have mentioned that. I could've guessed you would ask." After hesitating for a moment he added: "I wasn't always a good guy. Not so long ago I was nicknamed "Merchant of death" and the whole world was in fear of the weapons I produced."

_"What happened?"_

More hesitating. "The guy that was like a father to me ordered people to get me killed. But those guys realised who I was so they tortured me to make me make weapons. I made my suit instead. I saw what my weapons did to the people and the world. That night a very wise and brave man died for me and told me not to waste my life. So I didn't." He shrugged.

It was not often he talked about his past and only Pepper knew the whole story. He found it weird that (With exception of the shrapnel and arc-reactor part) he was now, out of all people, telling Loki.

_"you make it sound easy."_

"It is. You should try it. I can never undo the wrong I've done, but I can start with not making it worse." Tony smiled and Loki rolled his eyes at that.

_"What happened to your father-figure?"_

"Killed him. Well Pepper did, actually. That wasn't planned though. We only tried to stop him from killing me and destroying the place and such. Might sound familiar."

_"I ment to Rule here. Not to destroy. That would've been Jötunheim's fate."_

Tony raised an eyebrow. "Jötunheim?"

Loki mentally cursed. Why was he telling the human this? Because he wasn't the only one spilling his secrets? Why was Stark even telling him this? Did he want to give him a feeling of safeness? Did he loved his own voice that much? He wasn't to be trusted.

_"Home planet of the Frost giants. They're the monsters in the Asgardian tales. They're every disgusting adjective you can imagine."_

"Fearing the scary monsters from your childhood bedtime stories? Very mature." Tony joked. Suddenly a flash of anger shot trough Loki's eyes , but it was gone in less than a second.

"What?" Tony asked, already doubting if he had really seen it but Loki shook his head and turned it away, frowning again.

"Well okey then. No pressure. " The confidential story-sharing mood was gone and Tony rose from the bed.

"If you need something, just...ahm...knock 3 times on anything you can reach. Jarvis will warn me. You know how to get those things off? I tried some things already but nothing worked so far." He said taking a step back towards the door.

Loki grabbed the notebook and markers and tossed it to the billionaire when he was done writing _"It's magically enchanted. Nothing here on Midgard will get through it until Odin intends it to be removed. And when that is is something only he knows. It's like when Thor was banished and could only wear his hammer again when he was worthy of it."_

"Ouch. That sucks. Well, I'll search for something anyway. Can't hurt to try. How will you eat and drink otherwise?" He moved closer again and gave back the notebook.

_"I will show you if you get me something."_ Loki wrote hesitatingly.  
Tony nodded and turned towards the door. "Don't move. I'll be back in a minute."

Tony searched his kitchen for something Loki would like. He hadn't much to begin with, his irregular eating-patterns not compatible with quickly decaying food. He Grabbed a can of conserved peaches, some waffles and warmed up a can of ravioli. Together with a bottle of water, a bottle of scotch and a pair of glasses he dropped everything on a tray and went down again.

When the automatic doors to his lab unlocked he peeked inside. Loki was still in his cell but Tony stopped abruptly. He was up and looked at himself in the mirror. His hand traced the stitches in his mouth and the look on his face was by far the saddest the human had ever seen. Here he was, a millennia-old god, His primary defence system his lies and tricks. Over the centuries he had gathered the name silvertongue, and now he was unable to use it at all. He was completely at the mercy of a human that he had wronged in the past and he had no way to do anything about it. Suddenly Loki turned around and noticed Tony. He looked ashamed at being seen so vulnerable and Tony thought of giving him a moment but in the he entered anyway, putting down the tray with a worried look. This could just not be the same guy as the one that tried to take over New York.

"Hey, don't look so sad reindeer games. I am really sorry for...your loss, but I am sure we'll find a way to get trough it. We can work it out if we work on it together." He had really no fucking idea why on earth he was trying to comfort Loki and offering him his continued aid, baaad idea Tony, but he couldn't stand how miserably the guy looked. He just couldn't be totally evil if he could look like that. Tony had his friends when he hat hit rock bottom, and since there was no one to Loki. He knew he wasn't good with people, but he could at least try, and Loki on their good side would be definitely better as on their bad.

Loki sighed. "_Don't pity me. There was no one to care for my words to begin with anyway._" He wrote down.

"Why?" Tony asked while opening the bottles. "There must be a reason you went all batshit on our planet and wanted to destroy that other one. Scotch or water?"

AN I am back! it's because of the lovely 4 reviews I had from Tilia Cordata , Pandalover56, scarletcat969 and sbrock777

I already got this mostly typed out before I posted part one, so this will be the real point of challenge for me to see if I can do it or not. Thank you soooo much for all the follows and reviews, more are welcome (especially on the part of Lokes/Tony's relationship, too fast or good?) , They make my day and are my inspiration to continue! Thank you for reading!

xxx

Myr


	3. Chapter 3: the truth

**chapter 3**

**Loki's cage, Stark tower**

Of course it was scotch. No one could prefer water over scotch and Tony would have anyone nicknamed him goldfish for the rest of their lives if they did. Obligatory. But it seemed like Loki knew what was good for him so after he sat down on his bed again slowly he gave him his glass and the plate with ravioli, waffles and peaches.

Tony looked with a sort of fascination to Loki, wondering what he'd do. He already thought of mixing it for him and giving him it through a straw but Loki picked up a waffle and moved it towards his lips. Surprisingly the thing went right trough the stitches and although he couldn't open his mouth any more as before it could just get trough and he chewed on the tiny bite he took. Withdrawing the waffle the stitches were still in place. "Whoa, that's a neat trick!." Tony said, still staring wide eyed. Loki carelessly wrote some words on the notebook more occupied with eating. For some reason Tony had a feeling he was starved. Tony grabbed it when he dropped it on the bed and sat down next to Loki

_"It's Odin's magic. Frigga would never forgive him if he let me starve to death. Although that'd be an easy solution for his problem. "_

"His problem?"

Loki hesitated before grabbing the notebook again. bitterly he wrote

_ "Me." _

And when Stark looked at him with a genuinely curious look, he couldn't hold back anymore. For the first time in centuries, someone was actually willing to listen to him. Not because he needed the information, but because he wanted it. How ironically he couldn't speak right now. And It be damned that Stark was his enemy, It be damned that he was just a mere mortal, It be all damned because he didn't really think his situation could get any worse. So he spilled it all in the little notebook.

He wrote about his youth in the shadow of Thor. How everyone despised his magic and his preference for knowledge and art. The coronation. His real intentions, to show his father Thor wasn't ready. The quest to Jötunheim that went totally wrong. The moment he found out he had been just a prize, nothing more as a stolen trophy. That he was the being the people around him hated most. He wrote about his last desperate attempt to prove his worth, keeping Thor out of Asgard and luring Laufey in to kill him and his people. He didn't hide that he ordered the destroyer to kill Thor in his rage, in fact, he didn't care enough anymore to lie at all. He wrote about the fight on the rainbow bridge and how he just wanted the nightmare to stop. How he gave up and fell for an eternity. His pen didn't stop at the part where he was found by the Chitauri. How he had been a test subject until Thanos noticed him and his worth and how he fuelled his hate more and more with the sceptre until he was a burning ball of rage. He didn't deny it was his own hate and he didn't deny that his actions on earth were his. Now that his head was clear again he realised that Thanos would never have let him live. But back then, he just needed to feel important and powerful again. He just had to prove to Thor and Odin that he was to a force to be reckoned Yes, at that moment he couldn't have cared less about collateral damage and stupid human lives. And when he put down the pen at the part where he was taken back to Asgard and Tony had read all of it, the human could understand. There was no excuse for his deeds, they were still serious crimes, but Tony understood what had driven him to do it.

" Whoa, and I thought I had daddy issues." Tony murmured when he looked up from the notebook. Loki looked away from him but Tony could just feel the tense atmosphere. After a while of silence he slowly raised his hand and put it on Loki's shoulder.

When he felt the touch on his shoulder Loki tensed immediately. He hadn't know what reaction to expect but it really hadn't been this one. Why? Why was the mortal doing this? And why did he suddenly felt so whole again after such a long time of being a floating mass of broken pieces? And then the hand disappeared and the feeling was gone. But that little moment had been enough to remind him of how one was supposed to feel. Whole. And he craved it like air.

"Well I should mention that was a toddler tantrum on royal godlike format and you could've probably handled that a lot better, but I can't say I would've done it better myself. I know how it feels to be never good enough for everyone around me. C'mon Saruman, eat your heavenly human food and get a good night's rest. You should've never stood up in the first place with half the bones in your body broken. How did you even do that shit?"

_"I heal a lot quicker than mortals Stark .It comes with the immortality I presume."_ He wrote while eating.

"Interesting." Tony mused, his mind wandering off to think about the scientific parts of immortality. They sat in silence until Loki finished his meal. Tony took the tray and stood up. "Goodnight Skywalker" He said, walking out.

Tony took the lift to the main area, told Jarvis to put on some music and went to the window Loki had once threw him trough. And when he put his hand on the window, as slowly as he had put it on Loki's shoulder, The amount of himself he suddenly recognized in Loki scared him. All the human lives he had forced to an end with the weapons he had created, their sole purpose proving to a man who would never care again what he was worth. He had never once stopped to think about them, before.

If he could be saved. so could Loki.

(A.N. I was writing this in the elevator and top bol from the atomium in Brussels, so I guess I can safely assume I got the "not enough devotion to manage a story" problem handled XD

I also finally handled the plot. The first part will handle the sewn lips along with the start of their relationship, in wich I will already hide some hints to another part of norse mythology wich seems to be forgotten a lot. I won't keep it mythology or comic cannon because both are so messed up that no one actually fully understands it but I'll give it my own (I hope) interesting twist. If one person would like to hear the spoilers to give me an opinion...)


	4. Chapter 4: It was totally not

**chapter 4**

**Stark Tower, Tony's bedroom**

Tony woke to Jarvis' voice announcing something but he was still too far gone to pay attention to it. Suddenly he remembered the events of the previous day and the Norse god somewhere in his tower and he was wide awake.

"Repeat that?" He asked alarmed.

"Miss. Potts is calling you, sir." Jarvis answered dutifully and Tony couldn't help to let out a relieved sigh. He would rather not have a super villain going on a rampage in NY before breakfast although he didn't really see Loki as a super villain anymore already and he didn't really think he'd go on a rampage in his state. Still, you never knew.

"Put her on loud Jarv'." Tony said, getting up from his XXL king size bed and into the bathroom.

"-And you have to find a new manager fo- Tony! You picked up? Excuse me, one second." some rustling was heard. "Tony, are you alright?" She sounded quite concerned. "Is New York alright?"

"Pepper, please, It's- " He looked around and groaned. "Ten in the morning, for god's sake. With the time difference, it's even earlier there. What on earth are you already doing in a meeting?"

"Tony, did you know most people start their day at 7 o'clock?"

"They're crazy." He said, splashing water on his face. But then again, they probably didn't went to sleep as late as him. Last night he had hung around in his living room aimlessly for some hours, before he got down to his lab again to work on some tech. That he could see Loki's cage with the sleeping god in it from there had been just a coincidence. And he had totally not thought about the god all night. And toootally not looked at him more than necessary. Nope. He was not some kind of creep.

"-Tony?"

"What? Sowwy, soned out, 'just gosh up 'nd uhm... Shinking 'bou bweakfas." Tony answered, stuffing a sandwich in his mouth.

"Tony, you're a big boy, don't talk with your mouth full. I was asking if you're alright. And if you got...your problem under control."

"Pepps, I am as good as ever and Draco Malfoy is still downstairs in his cage. We had a good long talk last night and I don't think there's a lot of 'Kneel thou puny mortals, I will rule thou all' Attitude left to be honest. Don't worry about me. Go have fun bossing people around. Take a day of and take in San Francisco with Happy. I'm going to eat breakfast and everything's still in one piece so _stop. Worrying_. See you later, got to hang up, it's impolite to talk with a full mouth. Sorry Pepps"

"Serio-"

"-Bye, kisses to the board from me. Jarvis, end the call."

"Yes sir."

Tony took another sandwich from the pile and poured himself some coffee. Since he and Pepper ended their relationship she made sure that the cantina for the employees of Stark tower sent up breakfast for Tony every day, making sure that he had at least one meal a day. They decided on the breakup together, so there had been no months of depression, but Tony had buried himself in work so it had been a smart precaution. Pepper still worked for him and they were still something like best friends. She and Happy had hooked up, and fine, he had seen Happy had a crush on Pepper since a long time, but Pepper returning the feelings had been totally unexpected. He thought she preferred Phil. Agent. Whatever. He actually remembered Pepper telling him he was married to his cellist now. So now he had to live with his driver and ex-girlfriend/secretary hooking up, and while they stayed...chaste in front of Tony, It had been a tiny bit awkward at first. But he guessed in the end you could grow accustomed to everything.

When he had enough sandwiches he took the tray (Which was still loaded with enough food for 3 persons) downstairs to the lab. When he arrived down there Loki still seemed asleep but when he burst in saying "Wakie wakie sleepyhead" maybe a tad too loud the god just opened his eyes a tiny bit and made a noise that sounded like a grunt in the back of his troath.

Tony chuckled and gave him the tray. Loki apparently appreciated the food and they sat in comfortable silence for a while, Tony typing away on a Starkpad. When Loki finished the food and put the tray away, Tony looked up.

"So, Merlin, seems like I have a gift for you. I mean, I gave you the notebook yesterday, but paper is so 20th century, so I guess I could give you one of these. I think you must be smart enough, since Thor starts to understand the curious ways of a telephone by now and it has only been months since he got one. No, just joking, his texts are adorable. My company makes these things so no complaining." He said with a smile, throwing the Starkpad to Loki.

The god picked it up with a curious look and his eyebrows shot up when the screen changed into something else when he touched it. Tony let out an amused sigh and positioned himself next to the god on the bed. The rest of the morning and early afternoon was spent on learning a Norse deity to use modern technology. Loki was smart and Tony found it surprisingly amusing to explain to someone with no clue on modern technology the very basics. Unlike Thor Loki actually understood more than the "you push this button and you can talk to this person."-part. They even ventured into the techniques behind the tablet for a while, namely electricity and Tony found in Loki a very interested and bright pupil.

By the end of the afternoon, Loki knew how to send messages to Tony's tablet and Jarvis, how to use Google, Wikipedia, YouTube, how to write documents, and some other basics. He even explained the E-reader app, and to his surprise, Loki seemed to have a basic knowledge of the older human literature up to the end of the 19th century. It seemed that Loki had loved exploring other realms and gaining knowledge from them in the past. Which made him wonder how old Loki actually was, but he decided that was a question for the next chat, when he suddenly saw the hour.

"Lokes, It was real fun hanging out with you, but I really got to go now. I have dinner with the Avengers around 6 O'clock, so I have to go and prepare myself. Don't worry, I'll ask Jarv' to order some take out for you to eat. Do you like Chinese?"

The eye roll he received at that said more as a -"You know fucking well I don't know what Chinese tastes like" Ever could, so Tony flashed the god a grin and patted him on the shoulder, standing up.

"Just tell Jarvis when you're hungry and he'll order you some okay, Reindeer games? You have all information and music known to mankind in your hands, so I guess that can keep you busy for a while, right?" When Loki nodded Tony made the "taking of my hat"-move and got out. And while he walked out, he could feel the god's eyes on him until the door of his lab fell shut behind him.

And that totally did not make him shudder.

When Tony was finally ready and dressed after a good half hour, and just about to leave, Jarvis spoke up. "Sir, I must inform you that...your resident downstairs has trouble breathing."

"What? What happened?" Tony jumped straight into the elevator and hit the button of his lab floor way too hard. "I think he lost the ability to stop laughing sir. Although he seems to do a little better already." "What the fu- What on earth made that guy laugh that much?"

"It seems like he googled his own name sir. He found some sites on Norse mythology" And that got Tony laughing his ass of too. By the time he got into the lab he was still chuckling.

"You okay, Oh mighty god?" He asked from the door. Loki nodded, making a last little cough, still with the grin on his face.

"I must go, but I really want to hear what made you laugh like that next time buddy." and with that he was gone. When he got to his car, he was still chuckling occasionally. And when the avengers noticed Tony was in a particularly good mood that evening, it must've been a coincidence.

(An. It was too hot, I got sick, I was not home...all silly excuses I have. But the lack of updates of the stories I follow can make even my lazy ass update XD Oh and Pepper and Happy were canon in the comics. I rather ship her and Phil, but this was easier for the story. And yep, no text from Loki, but it's hard to be talkative when you can't talk )


End file.
